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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jan/05/children-rescued-from-north-yorkshire-school-bus-caught-in-flood-water
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| Children rescued from flood-hit school bus after driver ignores road closure sign Children rescued from flood-hit school bus after driver ignores road closure sign | |
| (3 days later) | |
| More than 20 children have been rescued from a school bus that became trapped in several feet of flood water after the driver ignored a road closure sign. | More than 20 children have been rescued from a school bus that became trapped in several feet of flood water after the driver ignored a road closure sign. |
| Firefighters were called by some of the 26 pupils on the bus when it tilted into a verge and began to fill with water in Newton-on-Ouse on Tuesday morning. Flood rescue officers smashed a back window to rescue the children. | Firefighters were called by some of the 26 pupils on the bus when it tilted into a verge and began to fill with water in Newton-on-Ouse on Tuesday morning. Flood rescue officers smashed a back window to rescue the children. |
| Grace Abbott, 15, told the York Press: “We felt the bus tilt and that’s when water started gushing through the bus. Everyone ran across to the other side of the bus to stop us capsizing and tipping over. | Grace Abbott, 15, told the York Press: “We felt the bus tilt and that’s when water started gushing through the bus. Everyone ran across to the other side of the bus to stop us capsizing and tipping over. |
| “He [the driver] was shouting down the phone to the bus company so I thought we had to phone the fire brigade because there was no way we were getting out of there on our own.” | “He [the driver] was shouting down the phone to the bus company so I thought we had to phone the fire brigade because there was no way we were getting out of there on our own.” |
| Grace told the paper that many of the younger children were crying and a girl who tried to smash the window had cut her hand. | Grace told the paper that many of the younger children were crying and a girl who tried to smash the window had cut her hand. |
| The children, from Easingwold secondary school, were lifted from the partially submerged Stephensons school bus on to another vehicle by North Yorkshire fire and rescue workers. | The children, from Easingwold secondary school, were lifted from the partially submerged Stephensons school bus on to another vehicle by North Yorkshire fire and rescue workers. |
| North Yorkshire council said it had launched an investigation after the bus driver went through a “road closed” sign on the route between Tollerton and Newton-on-Ouse, which has been shut by highways authorities since Storm Frank hit the area on Boxing Day. | North Yorkshire council said it had launched an investigation after the bus driver went through a “road closed” sign on the route between Tollerton and Newton-on-Ouse, which has been shut by highways authorities since Storm Frank hit the area on Boxing Day. |
| A council spokeswoman said it had asked Stephensons to suspend the driver from driving any of its school contracted buses pending the outcome of the investigation. | A council spokeswoman said it had asked Stephensons to suspend the driver from driving any of its school contracted buses pending the outcome of the investigation. |
| Don Mackenzie, the council’s executive member for highways, said: “We put road closure signs out during flooding for a very good reason – to keep people safe. Roads all over the county have been affected by flood waters and some remain so. We would urge drivers to comply for the sake of their own safety and not drive through closure signs when there is flooding. | Don Mackenzie, the council’s executive member for highways, said: “We put road closure signs out during flooding for a very good reason – to keep people safe. Roads all over the county have been affected by flood waters and some remain so. We would urge drivers to comply for the sake of their own safety and not drive through closure signs when there is flooding. |
| “It is not possible to tell how deep the water is on flooded roads and drivers can quickly find themselves in trouble – along with their passengers. We will be working with the management staff at Stephensons to ensure that the incident is fully investigated and appropriate action is taken.” | “It is not possible to tell how deep the water is on flooded roads and drivers can quickly find themselves in trouble – along with their passengers. We will be working with the management staff at Stephensons to ensure that the incident is fully investigated and appropriate action is taken.” |
| After the children were rescued, the single-decker bus lay abandoned, with the front of the vehicle submerged in the waist-high water. | After the children were rescued, the single-decker bus lay abandoned, with the front of the vehicle submerged in the waist-high water. |
| The pupils were given hot food, drinks and dry clothes and counselling was offered, a North Yorkshire council spokesman said. | The pupils were given hot food, drinks and dry clothes and counselling was offered, a North Yorkshire council spokesman said. |
| The bus appeared to have been swept off the road by the overflowing river and rested at an angle against a hedge. | The bus appeared to have been swept off the road by the overflowing river and rested at an angle against a hedge. |
| The bus company, Stephensons of Easingwold, said the driver would be interviewed at the earliest opportunity. It added: “We express our sincere apologies to the children who were on the service this morning as well as to their families for this unfortunate incident. | The bus company, Stephensons of Easingwold, said the driver would be interviewed at the earliest opportunity. It added: “We express our sincere apologies to the children who were on the service this morning as well as to their families for this unfortunate incident. |
| “We are very pleased to report that there were no serious injuries as a result of this incident and everyone was successfully rescued from the bus unharmed. We are extremely grateful to the fire brigade and the other emergency services for ensuring that this was the case.” | “We are very pleased to report that there were no serious injuries as a result of this incident and everyone was successfully rescued from the bus unharmed. We are extremely grateful to the fire brigade and the other emergency services for ensuring that this was the case.” |
| Phil Benaiges, the headteacher of Easingwold school, said: “Both emergency services and the school were alerted about the incident by a student. I understand that students were very supportive of each other, despite the difficult circumstances. We worked very hard to keep the relevant parents informed, of both the initial incident and when students were safe and sound. | Phil Benaiges, the headteacher of Easingwold school, said: “Both emergency services and the school were alerted about the incident by a student. I understand that students were very supportive of each other, despite the difficult circumstances. We worked very hard to keep the relevant parents informed, of both the initial incident and when students were safe and sound. |
| “I would like to thank the prompt and professional approach of the emergency services, the staff involved in school and particular thanks and best wishes go to our students who dealt so well with a potentially serious situation. I am very proud of their responsible and calm behaviour in the circumstances.” | “I would like to thank the prompt and professional approach of the emergency services, the staff involved in school and particular thanks and best wishes go to our students who dealt so well with a potentially serious situation. I am very proud of their responsible and calm behaviour in the circumstances.” |
| The village of Newton-on-Ouse, which is about 10 miles north-west of York city centre, was one of the North Yorkshire areas worst hit by Storm Frank, which caused the river Ouse to rise dramatically. | The village of Newton-on-Ouse, which is about 10 miles north-west of York city centre, was one of the North Yorkshire areas worst hit by Storm Frank, which caused the river Ouse to rise dramatically. |
| In north-east England, the coastal town of Whitby was almost cut off on Monday night after hours of heavy rain caused flash flooding. | In north-east England, the coastal town of Whitby was almost cut off on Monday night after hours of heavy rain caused flash flooding. |
| North Yorkshire police warned that the seaside town, a popular tourist destination, was accessible only by 4x4 vehicles via one route, and urged people to avoid the area “unless absolutely necessary”. | North Yorkshire police warned that the seaside town, a popular tourist destination, was accessible only by 4x4 vehicles via one route, and urged people to avoid the area “unless absolutely necessary”. |
| The downpours, covering North Yorkshire to Northumberland and the cities of Newcastle and Sunderland, are expected to continue for the next 24 hours, with forecasters predicting up to 80mm of rain on high ground and 40mm elsewhere, meaning floods are likely. | The downpours, covering North Yorkshire to Northumberland and the cities of Newcastle and Sunderland, are expected to continue for the next 24 hours, with forecasters predicting up to 80mm of rain on high ground and 40mm elsewhere, meaning floods are likely. |
| “A frontal system will become slow moving across the warning area during Tuesday, bringing spells of rain, some heavy, particularly over high ground exposed to the fresh to strong easterly winds,” a Met Office forecaster said. | “A frontal system will become slow moving across the warning area during Tuesday, bringing spells of rain, some heavy, particularly over high ground exposed to the fresh to strong easterly winds,” a Met Office forecaster said. |
| “There is uncertainty about the exact location of the heavier rain, but totals are expected to reach 20-40mm fairly widely, with as much as 50-80mm over some high ground.” | “There is uncertainty about the exact location of the heavier rain, but totals are expected to reach 20-40mm fairly widely, with as much as 50-80mm over some high ground.” |